Of Ningens and Youkai
by Amu Sukeki
Summary: Hi. My name is Amy. Many call me crazy, and I probably am. But this story is not just about me. It's about my encounter with two demons and ending up rediscovering a life I have lived. So sit back and let me tell you a story...


Ch. 1

Of Ningens and Youkai

Dreamfox (DF): Hilo! Welcome to my first fic. It's not really a fanfic yet, but I still love it. hugglehuggle

Amy: O.o Right then… We started this story when I was in 7th grade. In case I do mention something I don't own, I don't own it. Now read! Read like the wind!

The noises began in late October. The skittering in the day, the flute's song in the night…it was a wonder I got any sleep at all. For some unfathomable reason, though, _I _was the only one who could hear them. Though I never complained about the flute (half the time because I forgot about it by morning), I told my whole family about the day noises. My mother blamed squirrels, my sister my sanity, and my father? He never told me. All I knew was that these noises were mine and mine alone to hear.

It was on a cold windy night that I heard the flute's lulling tune once more, filling mind with pleasant, if rather strange, images. However, this night, something kept me awake, and I was finally able to hear the last notes of the haunting lullaby.

Then, just as I was on the edge of slumber, a new sound shattered the night. A voice. I opened my eyes and attempted to interpret these noises. Donning only my violet robe and my glasses, I slowly walked up the creaky stairs to my attic. I paused outside the door, where the voices were clearest. I put an ear to the door and attempted to make sense of the mutterings.

"I don't understand why he sent us here. Youkai my-" a cold male voice began.

"Sh! Koni! He might hear us!" a fearful feminine voice interjected. A small silence followed when the voice replied in a much warmer tone,

"Don't worry Shima. We're outside his influence. We're safe here."

"Only for so long…" the small watery voice replied.

Deciding the bizarre conversation was too odd to make sense, I opened the door to the strangest scene I have ever seen.

It was a boy and a girl, sitting together in my attic. It was their appearance that made the sight strange, though.

The boy had long white hair that ended above his shoulders and piercing silver eyes. He seemed to be my age (14) and had pale skin. He wore no shirt or shoes, only baggy pants tied at the ankles, giving them the 'puffed out' look. He also possessed a shining silver medallion, engraved with a fox face, and held a beautifully made wooden flute. His strangest feature, however, was his snow white fox ears and his matching twin tails. He wore an expression of open-mouthed surprise, exposing two fangs.

The girl had teal hair to the middle of her back and shining red eyes. She appeared to be 9, and wore a Chinese dress that was pale green at the shoulders and faded to deep blue at the ends of both sleeves and the bottom of the dress, revealing her bare feet. She wore a jade fish talisman, which matched her fishy tail and fins. These fins were placed where ears should have been, yet seemed to fulfill the same purpose. Her tan face was also shocked, but she had the dignity to keep her mouth shut.

There was an awkward silence as they studied me as I did them. I was nothing special to look at. I had browny-bronze hair, apricot shaded skin, and hazel eyes locked behind glasses. I also wore a shiny blue yin-yang necklace and a golden bangle with pink blossoms and leaves on it. I, too, was bare foot, and wore a similar expression to their own.

I decided to break the ice.

"Er… Hello?"

"Hi…" The girl said cautiously. The boy elbowed her in the ribs, eyes gleaming in distrust.

"Um… Who are you?" I asked tentatively.

"None of your business, human." The boy snarled.

"Koni! Be nice." The girl stood from her kneeling position to look me in the eyes. A rather difficult task, as she was a full 6 inches shorter than me. "My name is Shima. And that jerk over there is my adoptive brother, Koni." She said, smiling warmly.

"Why not just tell her where we live while you're at it? Or better yet, your shoe size!" Koni said scathingly. Shima looked confused for a moment, and replied,

"Why?"

"Um…" They both turned to me, "May I ask why you two are in my attic?" They both looked to each other.

"We're examining your fuse box?" Shima offered.

Koni and I stare at her for a moment, and then I said, "Never mind. I guess you guys aren't from around here?"

"Oh no! We're from the Makai, or as you humans call it, Demon World." Shima replied brightly. Koni's eyes widened as he hissed at her to be quiet.

"Holy! You exist!" Far from fearful, I was overjoyed to finally find proof of demons...I was an avid anime fan..._Ahem_…

"Well yeah. How else do you explain the fact that we're in this dump?" Koni muttered.

"Hey! This is my house! And you still haven't told me the real reason why you're here!" I shouted. Koni slapped a clawed hand to my mouth as Shima worriedly listened to the light shuffling downstairs. The noises passed, making Koni and Shima sigh in relief. I wrenched Koni's hand from my face and turned to face him. Before I could say anything, however, he softly hissed,

"Are you trying to get us killed! I have half a mind to come right up to you and-" Shima rested a hand on his shoulder and turned to me.

"How did you know we were here?" She had a somber look on her face that compelled me to answer.  
"…I honestly don't know. I've been hearing a flute playing for weeks, but it always made me fall asleep. Tonight though…something…kept me up…"

Shima exchanged a significant look with Koni. Koni was staring at me in disbelief.

"But…it can't be…it shouldn't…"Shima whispered something I couldn't hear. "Right then. Huma- You. What's your name?"

"Amy Sukeki. Why?" Shima looked to Koni again, and muttered something incoherently. She turned to me, suddenly looking very sad.

"I'm sorry." She murmured and raised her hand, palm out. I looked at her in confusion when I suddenly felt a searing hot pain all over my body, particularly on the sides of my head, my mouth, my lower spine, and my feet. My blood coursed through my veins like liquid fire, searing all in its path. My bones and organs shifted, elongated, and shrank, as if a rumbling earthquake had taken hold of my inner self. It felt like I was dying or growing far too fast. I vaguely remember falling down and screaming, when something blunt hit my head. I passed out, seeing shimmering silver before all went black.

DF: Yep. That's my first chappie. Please leave a shiny review in the little box down there.

Amy: Do it NOW, slave!


End file.
